TMC mulls leadership reshuffle ahead of civic, Assembly polls
The Statesman | 20 November 2024
Persons who are efficient and have a good public image will be brought in the leadership role by the Trinamul Congress (TMC) and the ones tainted will be dropped, sources said close to the ruling party in Bengal.
A major reshuffle within the Trinamul Congress is in the offing and the TMC chairperson, Mamata Banerjee is likely to clear the proposal very soon.
It was learnt that the party is waiting for the results of the six by-elections, which will be announced on Saturday. The seats are Sitai, Madarihat, Naihati, Medinipur, Haroa and Taldangra. In the 2021 Assembly elections Trinamul had won in five of these seats, while BJP had won the Madarihat seat.
Party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee held meetings with the party’s state president and Rajya Sabha MP Subrata Bakshi and prepared the list. It has been sent to Miss Banerjee for final approval.
Keeping in mind the election in Kolkata Municipal Corporation scheduled to be held in 2025 and the Assembly election in 2026, Trinamul Congress is trying to put up a clean image of the party.
It may be recalled that Trinamul Congress got 18 seats in the Lok Sabha election in 2009. It then defeated the CPM-led Left Front government in the KMC election in 2010 and won the Assembly election in 2011 putting an end to the Left Front rule in West Bengal. It has been learnt that Mr Banerjee will leave no stone unturned to organise the party and put up a clean image. Party leaders felt that the R G Kar incident will not have any bigger impact. However, in some pockets in the rural areas, highhandedness of some leaders has created dents. The party will work to repair the dents and win the support of the people.
It was learnt that the party has identified leaders, who worked hard in panchayat, civic or Assembly elections, but did not give maximum effort in the Lok Sabha election. Such leaders will not be allowed to lead the party.
The party is giving stress on selecting party leaders with good public image, those who have good contacts in the local level. Both Miss Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee have asked the leaders to intensify contacts with people.
Mr Banerjee is keeping a tab on the activities of leaders, even at the block level. Silently, the party has strengthened its organization, up to the grassroots level.
The party will launch an intense campaign to make people aware of various people-friendly schemes and Mr Banerjee will start Naba Joar Yatra from February 2025.